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The West Wing (1999-2006) is a dual-edged saga. On the one hand, it shows the fans in the United States what happens inside the White House as the cogs in the wheel turn to make a presidency possible. On the other hand, it is a record of many integral moments in world history and politics, and a peek into how the United States thinks about the rest of the world.
Told through the eyes of President Josiah "Jed" Bartlet (Martin Sheen) and his tenacious, intense, and egotistical staffers through his two-term tenure, the political drama focuses on themes like internal conflict, policy decisions, campaign strategies, and their impact on global relations.
Created by Aaron Sorkin, the show received commercial and critical acclaim, with 26 Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globes in its seven-season run.
By season 7 of The West Wing, President Jed Bartlet's camp takes a back seat as his second tenure comes to a close. The focus shifts to presidential candidates, Democrat Matt Santos and Republican Arnold Vinick, and their campaigns leading up to election night, and the transition from Bartlet's administration to the new one. In the end, Bartlet leaves office and unveils a Presidential library.
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Disclaimer: All opinions in this article belong to the writer. Spoilers ahead.
In the end, Bartlet's era comes to an end, but before that, a ton of drama unfolds.
The West Wing: How does the presidency end for Jed Bartlet and his team?
Jed Bartlet winds down his presidency as Santos and Vinick's presidential campaign heats up
It's time to pass the baton after President Bartlet's eight-year tenure comes to an end. His actions take a backseat as Santos and Vinick's campaign strategies heat up. In the democrats' camp, poll numbers cause tension between Santos and his Vice presidential candidate, Leo.
President Bartlet's most pressing problem continues to be the White House space shuttle leak to the New York Times, and his staff, particularly CJ (Allison Janney), is grilled for answers by the White House counsel as they try to narrow down the cause.
It is a transitional period for Bartlet's camp, but things escalate globally, with Russia and China coming under the scanner after the escalation in Kazakhstan.
CJ's final days as Chief of Staff are filled with mitigating global conflict
The assassination of Kazakhstan's president Ruhshan Issetov and the subsequent replacement with a more Russia-leaning acting president Tarimov causes the negotiations with China to fall through in The West Wing season 7.
As tensions between the three nations escalate over Kazakhstan's oil reserves, CJ holds the fort down, trying to de-escalate a potential all-out war.
As though a nuclear war wasn't enough stress, the Palestinian Authority Chairman Nizar Farad dies in what appears to be a suicide bombing. An investigation is underway, with agents pestering CJ about it being part of a larger conspiracy.
As she tries to mitigate these pressing matters, Toby drops the biggest shocker of them all: He is responsible for the space shuttle leaks. A distraught CJ tells President Bartlet, who fires Toby.
Toby is led away from the White House as the President addresses the press about the leak. As The West Wing progresses into the second half of season 7, CJ feels the walls closing in on her tenure as Chief of Staff and bites off more than she can chew by taking on the crisis in Darfur, Sudan, as well.
To top it all off, the President's son-in-law might be having an affair with his children's nanny.
It's safe to say that this fractures her relationship with Danny, who feels like CJ doesn't take him or their relationship seriously, amidst her work in the White House. In the final episodes of The West Wing, CJ is given a choice in her career. But more on that later.
President Bartlet's personal life features many milestones in The West Wing season 7
Parallelly, the Bartlet family continues to grow as Ellie announces that she's pregnant, and must marry soon before her belly becomes visible. So President Jed Bartlet must balance his daughter's wedding prep, while handling a literal war between two nuclear powers, all the way until the day of her wedding. Talk about a regular weekday at the Bartlet household.
The President deals with the Russia-China conflict by sending thousands of troops into Kazakhstan after the two nuclear powers invade the country over a "rigged election". In one of John Spencer's last appearances as Leo, President Bartlet and he have an emotional moment conversing about the situation, and his inherent fears about the ripple effect his decision might have.
Later, he dons the impassive persona of a President and informs the presidential candidates, Santos and Vinick, of the recent developments and what they can expect going into their potential presidential term.
Santos vs Vinick: The big showdown in The West Wing season 7
The central storyline in season 7 is the ups and downs of the presidential race between Santos and Vinick. The political drama shows the tense and politically charged environment of two huge camps working tirelessly for the biggest night of their lives.
Many incidents challenge the political leanings of the candidates, notably their similar pro-choice stance that could threaten to tip the liberals towards Vinick's side. As both camps struggle to find a middle ground and let the country know their opinions on various big-picture issues, the duo decides to hold a live debate and settle scores.
Vinick suggests they drop the rigid rules of debating and opt for a looser debate format, and the candidates discuss immigration, health, and more. Things are business as usual before an unstable nuclear power plant in California changes everything.
Duck and Cover: The nuclear power plant fiasco
CJ and President Bartlet's focus shifts from the Russia-China war to California's nuclear power plant meltdown. Things are dire as they decide to evacuate the citizens around the plant and declare it a disaster.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission takes over, and Bartlet briefs the press on the steps ahead in The West Wing season 7.
Meanwhile, on the presidential campaign trail, this is one of the most lucrative opportunities for Santos' camp to go after Vinick, knowing that he actively lobbied for the plant's construction over two decades ago.
But Josh and Santos hold onto their horses, deciding to stay quiet in the hopes that the situation will implode without a low blow from their camp, which it does.
As a Senior Senator of California, Vinick is involved in the press briefings that Will leads for President Bartlet. Emergency repairs and other situations are expertly addressed, but things go south for Vinick when the press hounds him about his pro-nuclear stance.
The political implication of the power plant becomes a hot topic on news channels. The election becomes "Too close to call", according to Josh.
Toby faces the consequences of his space shuttle leak
Will takes over Toby's role as the White House Communications Director, and promptly almost collapses under the weight of his responsibilities. Toby faces the music, and his gruelling federal trial over the information leak begins.
No person with a political aspiration wants to be associated with him after this, making him more isolated than ever.
The West Wing season 7 explores his relationship with Josh. While things were already tense between the duo after Lyman's resignation, throwing a wrench in the staffers' work, the two reconciled enough for Josh to seek invaluable help during the final weeks of the Santos' presidential campaign. His seven years' experience at the White House comes in handy.
His situation, however, continues to be dire. His wife, Andrea Wyatt, visits him and begs him to blame it all on his late brother David, the astronaut from whom Toby learned the top secret information about the military space shuttle.
However, Toby refuses to sully his dead brother's honor and tries to accept the punishment that awaits him. Later, Andrea also goes to CJ to push for Toby's presidential pardon.
Who wins the presidential election in The West Wing season 7?
Panic, nerves, and stress settle in as election day dawns. Josh tries to be inspiring to the Santos camp, but the dread in his eyes is a dead giveaway.
Will and Kate go through a hiccup in their relationship when Will suggests he might move away from D.C., and Kate suggests she might have voted for Vinick. Josh and Donna get intimate amidst the stress of the team mapping out the votes on whiteboards.
Unexpected polling results show West Virginia to Vinick and the deeply republican state of South Carolina to Santos. As expected, both candidates with their home states of California and Texas.
It all comes down to Nevada and Oregon, and Santos takes both, becoming the President-elect of the United States of America.
On election eve, Vice President-Elect Leo is found dead of a heart attack by Annabeth. CJ wakes President Bartlet up with news of the new President and the tragedy that happened simultaneously. Santos addresses the nation, all smiles at his victory.
Actor Josh Spencer's death was written into the heartbreaking episode of The West Wing, titled Requiem (Season 7, episode 18). President-elect Matt Santos is left without a Vice President, while Bartlet mourns the loss of a dear friend. Toby attends the funeral, but lurks in the back of the church.
What happens to the crew in the White House?
Santos' inauguration is the central storyline in the last few episodes of The West Wing season 7. As he and his family adjust to their vast new reality, with Secret Service shadowing their every move and their kids needing schools in D.C., Bartlet's staff at the White House also make big moves.
CJ gets two career-defining job offers, one to manage a billionaire's philanthropic foundation and one as a part of Santos' staff. But with her relationship with Danny on the rocks, she must make the best choice that doesn't completely turn her life upside down.
In the end, she chooses the former, and as fans see at the beginning of The West Wing season 7, the couple is happy and has even had a baby.
Will is noticed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, where he would help Democrats get elected. But in typical Will fashion, he eyes a challenge: The congressional seat in Oregon. In the flashforward, he is shown as a Congressman. Josh continues as Santos' Chief of Staff after his nine-step victory plan leads the Texan to the White House.
Santos approaches Vinick with a proposal to be the Secretary of State under his administration, which Vinick accepts. He plans to appoint Pennsylvania Governor Eric Barker as the Vice President through the Twenty-Fifth Amendment.
And what of President Bartlet? In a final turn of events in The West Wing season 7, in the very last moments of his presidency, he pardons Toby using his powers as President of the United States. In the flash forward in the very beginning, Toby and Bartlet appear to be on good terms.
A new dawn breaks in the United States, and Matt Santos is sworn in as the POTUS. Bartlet's era comes to an end.
The series finale of the highly-appreciated political thriller drama showed a realistic conclusion for President Bartlet, and how he welcomes the end of his era. Stream all episodes of The West Wing on Prime Video, Netflix, or Max.
